Are hid's Legal?

[Slyder]

In California they are borderline legal, but only 6000K, and only in US market Ellipsoid cases.

(there are no other DOT approved lenses available that will accept a bulb).

Not to be a nit-picker...but there's no such thing as 'borderline legal'. It's either legal or it's not. I can't imagine giving a CHP the excuse "But Sir, they're almost legal..."

CA Vehicle code doesn't allow HIDs in cars that didn't have them, nor do they allow you to modify a DOT-approved headlight system. HIDs on e30s in CA are illegal, period.

[bmw325csi]

^ why 6000k though? I would think like 4300-4500k since it has less of a blueish tint to them.

[DCColegrove]

In California they are borderline legal, but only 6000K, and only in US market Ellipsoid cases.

(there are no other DOT approved lenses available that will accept a bulb).

[CleanAzzE30z]

Mike and Jason suck




Mariano

[nando]

yeah, it definitely varies state by state. But for DOT purposes at least, I don't think it's illegal to swap entirely different housings into your car.

[Slyder]

BMW BUM, it's very clear that you've never driven in a vehicle that has properly installed HIDs. HIDs are HANDS DOWN (IMO) better than any other lighting upgrade you can do. A couple of things to bear in mind is that HIDs are NOT intended for non-projector style lights. They do work very well in e30 projectors, TSXs, etc. As was stated earlier, standard headlight housings designed for halogen bulbs don't properly distribute the light from the HIDs, and that's where you get intense glare and difficulty in aiming.

Now, I can't speak for other states...but I have read up on the current CA Vehicle Code and essentially you are not allowed to make any modifications to your vehicle's lighting system that was not originally available for that car. Euro-elips, HIDs, etc that many of us install on our cars are NOT legal in California...period. DOT has also passed regulation on the wattage a light bulb can output for highway use. Lowbeams are 55W, high beams are 65W. There are some companies like PIAA and Hella that have been able to pass the DOT tests with bulbs (Xenon gas filled) by meeting the wattage requirements, but because the gas has a different effect on the filament, they are able to gain an output of light. (I'm not an expert on this, but this is my understanding of why they have 55W bulbs with equivalent 110W output).

Additionally, at least for CA, taking a DOT-approved housing and installing a newer (i.e. e46 HID system) into them is NOT legal due to the fact that they were not originalyl installed on the car.

If anyone is really adamant about reading the stuff verbatim out of the Vehicle Code, I can dig up the code numbers and post them...but essentially that's the long and short of it.

[AndrewBird]

Basically ANY modification made to the car that is not DOT approved is technically illegal. This includes lights, wheels, suspension, brakes, EVERYTHING.

Doesn't stop people from doing it though. And in many cases, aftermarket is better/safer then stock.

[hendrixvodu]

ya i hate to see better in the dark also:down:

2x

yea damn that visibility hahah! , new cars all have this technology clearly because HID's are junk

[nando]

that's why I said you could have "legal" HIDs if you retrofitted an E46 housing.. and I know people have done it.

I'm not sure if the lense matters since most projectors just have a clear lense - but I suspect you'd need something without the fluting.

[Van Westervelt]

Self leveling and washing systems have no effect on the legality of them here in the US. The light source (HID) has to be approved WITH the housing (projector/smiley) by DOT.

Which no e30 light with an HID as a light source has come across their bench. Not to mention the fact that Euro Ellips are also illegal as they do not carry the DOT stamp.

[mikeedler]

I cant believe noone has said this yet.
but what makes them illegal is when you DONT have a headlight washing system or
self leveling headlights.
I have "upgraded" a few e91s now at my work with zenon kits/headlight assys.--BMW has it written clearly in the instruction manual.

not sure how it is in the U.S. nowadays, but 1 out of every 10 cars here has factory zenon, and it isnt at all blinding or annoying IF they are done correctly.

[bmw325csi]

If something says "for off road use only" chances are they aren't legal. But if you leave it to the laws, especially Cali laws everything is illegal!

[CleanAzzE30z]

High five!!! ;)


Mariano

[Bimmerman325i]

I guess most the cars that are sold in the U.S. arent sold in Colorado? This thread is full of fail.

I should have said that HIDs are perfectly legal in Colorado, just not HID upgrade/install kits. The likelihood of being pulled over for the lights is very low even here(i've seen integras, civics, etc with HID kits in non projector housings ), so long as you have a color that's close to white output/visual look. If you have purple or vivid blue or some irritating color you will probably be pulled over for it if you are being a danger for other drivers. If they are aimed right and are white in color, the cop would have to be extremely bored to pull you over for that reason.

Stock HID systems from the factory, while perfectly legal, are just as irritating to other drivers on the road, especially in SUVs or any tall car. The fact that they don't get pulled over often enough is proof that you most likely won't be. Just don't be an asshat and put bright purple HIDs in non projectors and you'll be fine.

[uofom3]

what is the sole attraction to hid's anyways? If you just want to blind the fuck out of other drivers... you have high beams... and if you want to see better... you have high beams... maybe I'm crazy, but I don't seem to follow the thought process between the ricers and new wave modder's who want to run crazy Godbright headlights with out puts probably closer to airplane headlights than most cars, and then they want to smoke out every other warning/indicator light on their car so no one can see when they are stopping/turning, assuming half the bulbs even work under the smoked lenses...

Just seems to be deteriorating your cars night time functionality over all... /rant

wow.